Jerod Mayo Hints Pats UDFA Could Make 53-Man Roster

Time is ticking for the New England Patriots to finalize next season's roster. Next Tuesday's53-man roster deadline is rapidly approaching, meaning head coach Jerod Mayo and his staff have less than a week to decide who'll be playing in the regular season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.

While most of this year's 53-man squad has likely already been decided, multiple roster spots are up for grabs. The Patriots have seen their fair share of unexpected players fight their way into the lineup in the past, and it looks like one of this year's undrafted free agents could be the next to join the list.

Patriots News: Dell Pettus "Making a Case" for 53-Man Roster

Mayo spoke with the media about several topics following Wednesday's practice, per Patriots insider Zack Cox. When asked about any surprise players who could crack the 53-man roster, the first-year bench boss revealed that UFDA safety Dell Pettus has done a good job of "making a case for himself."

According to New England insider Alex Barth, Mayo stated that he could see Pettus having a role either on defense or special teams, which has turned things into a "tough decision."

Pettus spent his entire five-year collegiate run at Troy. He went on to play 63 games in a Trojans jersey, recording 179 solo tackles, 13 broken-up passes, two fumble recoveries, and an interception. He was also one of the most productive players in Sun Belt history, tallying the 15th-most total tackles (315) since 2005.

After going undrafted in April, Pettus was quickly snagged up by the Patriots before the month was over. It didn't take long for the former Troy defender to make an impact during training camp, even earning praise from safeties coach Brian Belichick for "getting better every day" while excelling at things like playing physically and communicating with his teammates.

Fortunately, Pettus' stellar camp showing has translated into exhibition game results. He's been targeted six times through two preseason outings, allowing just four receptions for 34 yards. He's also registered seven tackles without a miss, earning him an impressive 82.6 tackling grade on Pro Football Focus.

For reference, that grade only trails A.J. Thomas (85.6) when it comes to Patriots defenders this summer.

At the end of the day, the Patriots' secondary is loaded and it's going to take a lot for Pettus to make the roster, regardless of how well he's played thus far.

Nonetheless, he's done well at proving his doubters wrong this offseason, and there's always a chance he could continue that trend. Pettus' final opportunity to impress Mayo's coaching staff comes in the form of Sunday's preseason finale against the Washington Commanders.

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